Throughout our marriage, Jim and I would often laugh at the thought of what a Johanik girl might be like. With four energetic little boys, we assumed a girl would be calm, you know, content to just sit on my lap for hours.

To aid this assumption, people have been asking for twelve years, you must be exhausted running after those boys! Comments like this led me to conclude that if boys are full of energy, then girls must be…not full of energy.

Until Ruthie came along.

Now I know better. She may have a high-pitched squeal and wear pink dresses, but she is every bit as energetic as any one of her brothers. At least so far. I’m sure there will be a day when she will sit with me for hours reading books and doing crafts together–maybe when she’s ten.

Here is what she does in the Bumbo seat. As soon as she starts her escape attempt, I like to ask her what she plans on doing once she does break free.